Westfield Primary School Nursery Review

Wellies and spare rain suits capture Westfield Nursery’s approach: outdoor play continues throughout the year, alongside creative activities indoors. This is the nursery at Westfield Primary School in Radstock, with a room for two-year-olds. The nursery aims to build curiosity and independence through play, giving children room to follow their interests rather than expecting everyone to learn in the same way.

Ofsted judged the school’s early years provision Good at the inspection on 24 and 25 January 2023. That judgement covers the early years within the school, rather than a separately inspected nursery.

Play supplies the structure for learning. Staff combine activities children choose themselves with experiences adults guide, using Development Matters within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). For parents, that means learning spans movement, conversation and relationships as well as early reading, mathematics, creativity and discovering how the world works. In the two-year-old room, sensory experiences concentrate on physical development, language and emotional and social skills.

Children’s interests shape the activities adults plan. Model making, role play and music sit alongside art, technology and materials children can mould or manipulate. Wild areas offer another starting point for exploration. Learning moves between outdoor and indoor spaces, with open doors connecting the two; wellies and spare rain suits make weather part of the experience rather than a reason to stop playing outside.

Stories, rhymes and songs introduce literacy, while making marks gives children an early way to express ideas on paper. Letters and Sounds, Phase 1 provides the starting point for reading and writing. Mathematics also takes practical form: children count in games, explore weight and try measuring. Themes introduce festivals and cultural traditions, connecting play with the world beyond nursery. In January 2023, early years children were working on counting and identifying numbers, establishing foundations for later mathematical learning.

A nursery manager and room leads form part of the team structure. The nursery aims to help children build empathy and social skills, and staff observations focus on each child’s learning and needs. Relationships with adults and other children are part of that approach, giving cooperation a place alongside independent exploration.

Across Westfield, additional needs can lead to SEN Support Plans (SSPs), which teachers discuss and review with parents at least 3 times a year. Support can include adjusted resources or targeted activities, so planning addresses the next step for the individual child. Speech and Language Therapy and Occupational Therapy are among the services the school works with.

Attending Westfield Nursery does not guarantee a Reception place. Families must make a separate Reception application through the normal admissions route and meet the normal deadline. Treat choosing nursery and applying for Reception as separate decisions.

Bring wellies for outdoor learning; spare rain suits are provided. The nursery asks families for a contribution towards consumables. Contact the school for current charges.

For enquiries, telephone the school office on 01761 413662 or email office@westfield.mnsp.org.uk. A contact form provides another route. School visits can be arranged by appointment through the office, giving families an opportunity to discuss the nursery before choosing it.